Opinion / Letters
Letter to the Most Holy Father: His Holiness Pope Francis
03 Aug 2016 at 11:25hrs | Views
Your Holiness and Most Holy Father,
Please lend me Your ears, Most Holy Father, I have a burning problem that needs your attention. I kindly ask you to assist my friend Ms. Linda Masarira's release she is languishing in Zimbabwe prison the past six weeks. I am concerned about her health because the prisons in Zimbabwe are dangerous places to stay in for such a long time. Ms. Linda Masarira is incarcerated in one of the most notorious prisons of President Robert Mugabe: Chikurubi Remand Prison. She has five children in her care some of which are orphans. She is a single parent and the only bread winner at home whose activities are cross-border-trading to make a living for her children.
Ms. Masarira together with other women were sent to prison for occupying Africa Square in Harare in June and were arrested again in July. Ms. Masarira is the only one left in prison as she is the leader of the group demonstrations. They were demanding the government of President Robert Mugabe to step down because the government has failed to deliver meaningful frontline services to its citizens for a long time. As a result of long time neglect, the social and economic situation has deteriorated adversely becoming unbearable.
The demonstrations were peaceful and civil. In the constitution of Zimbabwe citizens are allowed to make peaceful demonstration if they are dissatisfied with the government for whatever reasons. The resulted in the entire country's shut down, the civil servants demanding late salaries, the cross-border vendors demanding the lifting of the import ban and the unemployed demanding the regime change altogether.
There is evidence of concerning videos of police brutality and attacks by the government police on apparently peaceful social media based movements.
His Holiness, the initial objectives of the Africa Square demonstrations are the shocking poverty levels, the yawning gap between the poor and the rich is inconceivable very high. Food insecurities in both rural and urban areas are evident: the rains, due to the effects of El Nino, have been unreliable making it impossible to make a living out of subsistence farming. It is not uncommon to see young people collapsing in the streets of Zimbabwean towns due to hunger.
Despite her high academic qualifications, Ms Linda Mawarire is forced to do cross-border-trading, a dangerous means to bring bread and butter at home for her children. Currently the government has banned the import laws making it impossible for the women to make a living at all; they have been suffocated literally by the import ban. We are talking of a country that has 92% unemployment in Zimbabwe and cross border trading was the only means to survive the harsh conditions full of uncertainties.
Unsafe and absence of clean water and sanitation is a great risk to mostly women and children. Urban and mostly rural population use raw water from wells resulting in diseases and deaths of children. Bush toilets in rural and urban areas are a health hazard to the entire population, 50% of the population use bush toilets.
Urban congestion with scarce resources in town areas and growth points produce social evils: criminality and prostitution among still growing youth.
Hospitals are in appalling conditions as there is not medicine and no running water. No primary health care for women and children, it is out of their reach of ordinary citizens. Most people who go to government hospitals do not survive the sad conditions. President Mugabe and his family get treatment overseas.
Most citizens living with disabilities get little or no assistance from the government.
The rate of child abuse ranging from children: babies, toddlers, girls, young women, mothers, grandmothers is appalling and disgraceful to all of us. Our judiciary system is not conclusive in dealing with paedophiles. We are losing our girls into evil trade of prostitution almost every day.
Violence against females of all ages has reached high levels; we talk about femicide and infanticide that had reached unaccepted levels. In Zimbabwe, every 90 minutes a girl or a young woman, and even elderly woman is sexually abused.
Zimbabwe is recorded as one on the highest in African continent regarding child marriages. It is the poverty that sends young girls to early marriages. In retrospect, the cycle of poverty begins with girls being sent off to get married without basic education to improve their lives. Our government seems to be absent from our genuine problems regarding women and children.
Number of street kids is alarmingly high, there is nothing to scavenge in the streets of Zimbabwe anymore, and as a result some of them collapse in the streets and die.
Primary school education is now out of reach to some children in Zimbabwe, we are concerned that the government is not doing much about it.
Holy Father, it was not easy for Ms. Linda Masarira and her organisation to stage demonstrations openly asking for a regime change in the hope that a new dispensation will deliver better services that are liveable than the neglect of services at every level of our lives by the current Zanu PF government. They were aware of the dangers of demonstrating against Mugabe regime. It was important to her and all other women to sacrifice now and face the brutality of the police for the betterment of the future their children.
His Holiness, Ms. Linda said it categorically clear that she has no intentions of leaving Zimbabwe and relocate to Europe or other countries. She wishes to be part of that change we all want in Zimbabwe so that her children can enjoy better living conditions in Zimbabwe.
His Holiness, when Linda and other political groups demonstrated, they were brutally beaten by the Zimbabwe State Police and were incarcerated; even children were not spared from the brutality of the police. We witnessed not so long ago a policeman who accused a woman for taking part in the "close down Zimbabwe demonstrations." She had a baby on her back, a baby that was snatched from her so that she gets a barbaric beating from the police. It was not only the pain all over her body that she suffered, it was combined with the shame too as her body-parts that command decency in every human being were exposed to the onlookers.
When they tell us that Africans are uncivilised we cry racism! But does that mean that we are not bound by the principles of Ubuntu or other moral principles that all humankind has opted for since Olduvai days. (However embattle they were in the often unfortunate history soiled by human greed.
This child in particular will grow up with that picture of his/her mother who was brutalized by the police, an institution that was supposed to protect her. She/he experienced this and will never be told how her mother was humiliated, how is she/he going to take it, is this child ever going to trust anybody?
How will citizens look on such barbaric acts? Will they not demand the defence of the most vulnerable in our societies; the woman and her child! Meting out torture and pain in public has reached another level, indulgence in p*rnography of violence! We thought we engaged in a battle for decency and called it the struggle or chimurenga one and two (till the chimurenga ripped different regions and ethnic groups apart.)
It was not only the ritual of public humiliation. It was the creation of onlookers as accomplices who tolerated by allowing to happen. It was a recreation of Apartheid patterns: White bullies putting Africans into place and forcing the African multitude to accept their maltreatment as inevitable, their impotence as necessary.
But President Robert Mugabe is a Catholic just like Your Holiness and me. He is known to have three rosaries that he cites every day! Is it not strange, His holiness, that a Christian and a person like President Mugabe who holds high the Catholic values, would use unorthodox means to remain in power when evidence shows clearly that he has overstayed in power and the citizens wish for some regime change?
His Holiness, Most Holy Father, I am aware of the fact that that you have a very busy schedule. However, your intervention will greatly assist my friend, whose children are all waiting for their mother to come back home and be a home again with their mother. Kindly assist in releasing Linda out of prison. Kindly hear my faintest cry and talk to President Mugabe to release Linda from her incarceration. President Mugabe is a Catholic, I am sure he will listen to the voice of His Holiness because President Mugabe respects the Institution of the Catholic Church.
The voice from His Holiness may make President Mugabe realise that he needs to uphold the rule of law and human rights as defined by the Zimbabwean constitution and in accordance with international conventions.
I attach articles and video footings regarding the demonstrations that took place last month and the brutality of the police force towards the peaceful citizens who were demonstrating peacefully. I wish to apologise in advance about the disturbing nature of most of the articles and videos, Your Most Holy Father.
Yours in Christ
Nomazulu Thata
Cc Pfarrer Baugard
Fresenbergstrasse, 28779 Bremen, Germany
Cc Bischof Norbert Trelle
Domshof 25, 31134 Hildesheim, Germany
Cc Father Professor Dr. Walter Senner OP
Please lend me Your ears, Most Holy Father, I have a burning problem that needs your attention. I kindly ask you to assist my friend Ms. Linda Masarira's release she is languishing in Zimbabwe prison the past six weeks. I am concerned about her health because the prisons in Zimbabwe are dangerous places to stay in for such a long time. Ms. Linda Masarira is incarcerated in one of the most notorious prisons of President Robert Mugabe: Chikurubi Remand Prison. She has five children in her care some of which are orphans. She is a single parent and the only bread winner at home whose activities are cross-border-trading to make a living for her children.
Ms. Masarira together with other women were sent to prison for occupying Africa Square in Harare in June and were arrested again in July. Ms. Masarira is the only one left in prison as she is the leader of the group demonstrations. They were demanding the government of President Robert Mugabe to step down because the government has failed to deliver meaningful frontline services to its citizens for a long time. As a result of long time neglect, the social and economic situation has deteriorated adversely becoming unbearable.
The demonstrations were peaceful and civil. In the constitution of Zimbabwe citizens are allowed to make peaceful demonstration if they are dissatisfied with the government for whatever reasons. The resulted in the entire country's shut down, the civil servants demanding late salaries, the cross-border vendors demanding the lifting of the import ban and the unemployed demanding the regime change altogether.
There is evidence of concerning videos of police brutality and attacks by the government police on apparently peaceful social media based movements.
His Holiness, the initial objectives of the Africa Square demonstrations are the shocking poverty levels, the yawning gap between the poor and the rich is inconceivable very high. Food insecurities in both rural and urban areas are evident: the rains, due to the effects of El Nino, have been unreliable making it impossible to make a living out of subsistence farming. It is not uncommon to see young people collapsing in the streets of Zimbabwean towns due to hunger.
Despite her high academic qualifications, Ms Linda Mawarire is forced to do cross-border-trading, a dangerous means to bring bread and butter at home for her children. Currently the government has banned the import laws making it impossible for the women to make a living at all; they have been suffocated literally by the import ban. We are talking of a country that has 92% unemployment in Zimbabwe and cross border trading was the only means to survive the harsh conditions full of uncertainties.
Unsafe and absence of clean water and sanitation is a great risk to mostly women and children. Urban and mostly rural population use raw water from wells resulting in diseases and deaths of children. Bush toilets in rural and urban areas are a health hazard to the entire population, 50% of the population use bush toilets.
Urban congestion with scarce resources in town areas and growth points produce social evils: criminality and prostitution among still growing youth.
Hospitals are in appalling conditions as there is not medicine and no running water. No primary health care for women and children, it is out of their reach of ordinary citizens. Most people who go to government hospitals do not survive the sad conditions. President Mugabe and his family get treatment overseas.
Most citizens living with disabilities get little or no assistance from the government.
The rate of child abuse ranging from children: babies, toddlers, girls, young women, mothers, grandmothers is appalling and disgraceful to all of us. Our judiciary system is not conclusive in dealing with paedophiles. We are losing our girls into evil trade of prostitution almost every day.
Violence against females of all ages has reached high levels; we talk about femicide and infanticide that had reached unaccepted levels. In Zimbabwe, every 90 minutes a girl or a young woman, and even elderly woman is sexually abused.
Zimbabwe is recorded as one on the highest in African continent regarding child marriages. It is the poverty that sends young girls to early marriages. In retrospect, the cycle of poverty begins with girls being sent off to get married without basic education to improve their lives. Our government seems to be absent from our genuine problems regarding women and children.
Number of street kids is alarmingly high, there is nothing to scavenge in the streets of Zimbabwe anymore, and as a result some of them collapse in the streets and die.
Primary school education is now out of reach to some children in Zimbabwe, we are concerned that the government is not doing much about it.
Holy Father, it was not easy for Ms. Linda Masarira and her organisation to stage demonstrations openly asking for a regime change in the hope that a new dispensation will deliver better services that are liveable than the neglect of services at every level of our lives by the current Zanu PF government. They were aware of the dangers of demonstrating against Mugabe regime. It was important to her and all other women to sacrifice now and face the brutality of the police for the betterment of the future their children.
His Holiness, Ms. Linda said it categorically clear that she has no intentions of leaving Zimbabwe and relocate to Europe or other countries. She wishes to be part of that change we all want in Zimbabwe so that her children can enjoy better living conditions in Zimbabwe.
His Holiness, when Linda and other political groups demonstrated, they were brutally beaten by the Zimbabwe State Police and were incarcerated; even children were not spared from the brutality of the police. We witnessed not so long ago a policeman who accused a woman for taking part in the "close down Zimbabwe demonstrations." She had a baby on her back, a baby that was snatched from her so that she gets a barbaric beating from the police. It was not only the pain all over her body that she suffered, it was combined with the shame too as her body-parts that command decency in every human being were exposed to the onlookers.
When they tell us that Africans are uncivilised we cry racism! But does that mean that we are not bound by the principles of Ubuntu or other moral principles that all humankind has opted for since Olduvai days. (However embattle they were in the often unfortunate history soiled by human greed.
This child in particular will grow up with that picture of his/her mother who was brutalized by the police, an institution that was supposed to protect her. She/he experienced this and will never be told how her mother was humiliated, how is she/he going to take it, is this child ever going to trust anybody?
How will citizens look on such barbaric acts? Will they not demand the defence of the most vulnerable in our societies; the woman and her child! Meting out torture and pain in public has reached another level, indulgence in p*rnography of violence! We thought we engaged in a battle for decency and called it the struggle or chimurenga one and two (till the chimurenga ripped different regions and ethnic groups apart.)
It was not only the ritual of public humiliation. It was the creation of onlookers as accomplices who tolerated by allowing to happen. It was a recreation of Apartheid patterns: White bullies putting Africans into place and forcing the African multitude to accept their maltreatment as inevitable, their impotence as necessary.
But President Robert Mugabe is a Catholic just like Your Holiness and me. He is known to have three rosaries that he cites every day! Is it not strange, His holiness, that a Christian and a person like President Mugabe who holds high the Catholic values, would use unorthodox means to remain in power when evidence shows clearly that he has overstayed in power and the citizens wish for some regime change?
His Holiness, Most Holy Father, I am aware of the fact that that you have a very busy schedule. However, your intervention will greatly assist my friend, whose children are all waiting for their mother to come back home and be a home again with their mother. Kindly assist in releasing Linda out of prison. Kindly hear my faintest cry and talk to President Mugabe to release Linda from her incarceration. President Mugabe is a Catholic, I am sure he will listen to the voice of His Holiness because President Mugabe respects the Institution of the Catholic Church.
The voice from His Holiness may make President Mugabe realise that he needs to uphold the rule of law and human rights as defined by the Zimbabwean constitution and in accordance with international conventions.
I attach articles and video footings regarding the demonstrations that took place last month and the brutality of the police force towards the peaceful citizens who were demonstrating peacefully. I wish to apologise in advance about the disturbing nature of most of the articles and videos, Your Most Holy Father.
Yours in Christ
Nomazulu Thata
Cc Pfarrer Baugard
Fresenbergstrasse, 28779 Bremen, Germany
Cc Bischof Norbert Trelle
Domshof 25, 31134 Hildesheim, Germany
Cc Father Professor Dr. Walter Senner OP
Source - Nomazulu Thata
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